Written Answers Friday 26 October 2007

Scottish Executive

Bridges

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of Transport Scotland’s report on the condition of the existing Forth Road Bridge, whether it is satisfied that the Bridge Master and Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) can reassure the travelling public that they have taken all current bridge defects into account in calculating the factor of safety and that the bridge is fit for purpose.

Stewart Stevenson: FETA is responsible for assessing the overall condition of the bridge and determining whether it is fit for purpose.

  The Scottish Government undertook a technical audit of FETA’s inspection and assessment of the main cables and concurred with the findings. This report was published in March 2006 and can be found on the Transport Scotland website.

Co-Operatives

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to continue links between the Scottish Government and CDS (Co-operative Development Scotland).

Jim Mather: Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS), a subsidiary of Scottish Enterprise, has a specific role in encouraging new and existing co-operatives with growth potential, and the Scottish Government is supportive of this activity and will continue links with the CDS in it’s development of the co-operative sector.

Co-Operatives

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps the Scottish Government is taking to support co-operative models within the renewable energy sector.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5154 on 26 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS) is working with a number of renewable energy projects to examine the potential role that the co-operative model could have in unlocking local economic impact from Scotland’s renewables resource.

  In addition, the Scottish Government supports the development of community scale renewable energy projects via the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI).

Concessionary Travel

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any plans to extend the national concessionary fares scheme more widely to other forms of public transport, particularly ferries.

Stewart Stevenson: We have no plans to do so.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants were given to festivals in each financial year since 1999-2000.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government does not generally fund festivals directly, although on occasion exceptional one-off grants are made.

  Grants for culture are distributed via relevant agencies. In the main, funding for festivals comes from the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen, and EventScotland.

  A breakdown of funding in relation specifically to festivals is not held routinely for the years requested by all of these bodies. However, the following information relating to 2006-07 and 2007-08 has been extracted.

  

Funding for Festivals 
2007-08


Scottish Arts Council
 


Edinburgh Summer Festivals *
 £2,039,000


Literature Festivals
 £152,000


Music Festivals
 £451,000


Programming fund for 49 small festivals
 £535,100


In total, 94 festivals were supported
 


EventScotland
 


Edinburgh Summer Festivals
 £100,000


Scottish Screen
 


Film Festivals
 £241,000


Total
 £3,518,000



  

Funding for Festivals
2006-07


Scottish Arts Council
 


Edinburgh Summer Festivals *
 £139,000


EventScotland
 


Edinburgh Summer Festivals
 £406,000


Scottish Screen
 


Film Festivals
 £272,000



  Note: *International Festival; Fringe: International Book Festival; Jazz and Blues Festival; Mela, and Art Festival.

  Between 1999-2000 and 2005-06 total Scottish Screen funding of film festivals amounted to £834,000.

  From 2006-07, Lottery funds were opened to applications from festivals and to date commitments of £160,00 have been made.

  In addition, in 2007-08 the Scottish Arts Council is providing £490,000 to the Scottish International Children’s Festival and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, which covers festival and other activities.

Economy

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the lower UK growth forecast announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9 October 2007 means that the Scottish Government’s growth target will be lower and what that target is.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s growth target is to match the UK rate of growth by the end of this parliamentary term in 2011.

Enterprise

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Kirkcaldy Renaissance Partnership project will be funded and supported following the restructuring of the enterprise networks.

Jim Mather: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced on the 26 September that local regeneration activities in the Scottish Enterprise area will become the responsibility of local authorities. The details of this will be determined when the exact nature of the activity to be transferred is resolved and we are working to do this as quickly as possible. However, where formal Scottish Enterprise funding commitments exist for approved projects these will be met.

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who will appoint the board members of the planned single skills body encompassing Careers Scotland, learndirect Scotland and other skills functions of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise; when it expects the new body to be in place; what budget will be allocated to it annually; whether its board members will be remunerated, and to whom the board will report.

Fiona Hyslop: Scottish ministers will appoint the chair and board members of the new skills body.

  I expect to have a shell organisation set up by the start of 2008, with a more formalised body in place by the end of this financial year.

  The annual budget to be allocated to the new skills body has not yet been decided.

  The chair and board members will report to Scottish ministers.

Enterprise

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who approves appointments to the boards of local enterprise companies.

Jim Mather: Appointments to the boards of local enterprise companies are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

  I shall ask the chief executives at each to write to you to set out their respective local enterprise company board appointments procedures.

Environment

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the position adopted by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate on the licensing of Alphamax for use on fish farm sites.

Michael Russell: The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has not yet had an application for licensing of Alphamax.

Environment

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is with regard to the planning consents and association planning conditions that apply to existing fish farming sites.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are currently undertaking a review of existing marine fish farms to determine whether or not to grant permanent planning permission to individual farms. The relevant provisions were included in section 4 of Part 3 of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006. Conditions attached to existing development consents or works licences will be looked at as part of the review and, where appropriate, relevant planning conditions will be attached to any grant of planning permission.

Equal Opportunities

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when its health department intends to publish the equality and diversity impact assessments that it has undertaken of all of its own functions and policies as required by law.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government places great importance on ensuring that the functions and policies for which its directorates are responsible are subject to equality impact assessment. The government’s equality impact assessment tool and process not only enables us to impact assess those areas currently covered by legislation, but also includes our voluntary commitment to impact assess for sexual orientation, religion/belief and age. All government directorates, including health directorates, are working to equality impact assess their new and developing policies. Equality impact assessment is an on-going process and all assessments will be published on the Scottish Government website once they are complete.

Equal Opportunities

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the implementation of the Gender Equality Duty at national and local levels includes fathers.

Stewart Maxwell: It is a matter for individual public authorities to ensure they comply with the gender equality duty. While responsibility for providing support and guidance for the duty lies with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Scottish Government worked with the Commission’s predecessor, the Equal Opportunities Commission, to support the implementation of the duty in Scotland including sectoral guidance, which encourages the involvement of fathers, and commissioning the gender audit of statistics to develop the evidence base for gender equality.

  The Scottish Government recognises the important role of fathers in their children’s lives and has funded Children in Scotland’s Children, Fathers and Fatherhood Project to explore, promote and support the involvement of fathers in the care of their children. As part of this work, Children in Scotland organised a conference in June to consider the impact and opportunities for fathers presented by the public sector gender equality duty.

Equal Pay

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how NHS boards will meet the additional financial requirements for equal pay settlements.

Nicola Sturgeon: I am aware that a number of equal pay claims have been lodged against health boards in Scotland as well as other health organisations across the UK.

  These claims raise a number of legal issues which are currently under consideration at employment tribunals across the UK. Resolution of these issues will determine whether or not health boards have any equal pay liabilities. If this proves to be the case meeting any such liabilities will be considered as part of the normal financial planning processes for health board expenditure.

Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which departmental expenditure limits HM Treasury has advised contain comparable expenditure for the purpose of applying the Barnett Formula in relation to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the comparable expenditure percentage will be for each sub-programme for the purpose of applying the Barnett Formula in relation to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the spending in the base year will be for the purpose of applying the Barnett Formula in relation to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, broken down by sub-programme.

John Swinney: The departmental expenditure limits which contain comparable expenditure for applying the Barnett Formula are detailed in the Statement of Funding Policy published by HM Treasury on 10 October  ( http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/2/2/pbr_csr07_funding591.pdf ).

Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date HM Treasury first notified the Executive on an (a) provisional and (b) final basis of the spending in the base year for the purpose of applying the Barnett Formula in relation to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

John Swinney: HM Treasury notified the Scottish Government of amendment to the basis of spending in the base year for the purpose of applying the Barnett Formula on 4 September 2007 and provided notification of the final basis on 9 October 2007.

Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether HM Treasury has consulted the Executive in relation to the revision of the rules set out in Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly - A Statement of Funding Policy and, if so, on what dates and what revisions were considered.

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has proposed any revision of the rules set out in Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly - A Statement of Funding Policy and, if so, on what dates and what revisions were proposed.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government was sent a copy of the draft Statement of Funding Policy for comment in March 2007 and a revised draft on 2 October 2007. Comments were given on a number of issues on a number of occasions.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the right of choice for patients of a private or NHS hospital, as confirmed by the Minister for Public Health on 27 September 2007 ( Official Report  c. 2209).

Nicola Sturgeon: Patients want swift, high quality treatment as close to home as possible. That is what the NHS in Scotland aims to provide. In the event of an NHS board being unable to meet national maximum waiting times for hospital inpatient and day case treatment (currently 18 weeks) locally, the board is expected to arrange for the patient to be treated quickly in the NHS in Scotland, including at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital or the Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro, the NHS elsewhere in the UK, or by a private sector provider.

  We have made clear on a number of occasions that the NHS in Scotland is free to use the services of the independent health care sector to ensure timely care and treatment of NHS patients, where necessary to meet peaks in demand. But we will not invest in building up the independent health care sector. That will continue to be the position.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take account of the potential removal of the cap on tuition fees for English universities when considering the funding settlement for Scottish universities in the comprehensive spending review.

Fiona Hyslop: There is no clear indication yet of what the UK Government’s intentions are in relation to the fee cap. While the timescale for any change is also still unclear, it is unlikely to impact before our consideration of the next spending review in 2009.

  We believe that there is currently broad parity between Scottish universities and those elsewhere in the UK in terms of funding even with the current introduction of variable fees in the rest of the UK.

  Any review of the cap in England will of course be important to Scottish higher education institutions and the Scottish Government and we will take an active interest in the review.

Higher Education Funding

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4458 by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2007, how it intends to ensure that the needs of science are fully taken account of in the comprehensive spending review.

Fiona Hyslop: Decision-making in the Spending Review is informed by the Scottish Government’s on-going dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders in the science base. This is supplemented by submissions from the Scottish Funding Council and other partner bodies and by further consultation, including with Whitehall Departments and the Research Councils. In making their allocations in the Spending Review, ministers will be considering how science-related budgets can help to deliver across all of the Scottish Government’s objectives and how these budgets can work together optimally on priority areas for science investment.

Historic Sites

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to protect battlefield sites from being developed on.

Linda Fabiani: Historic Scotland is currently developing a policy to manage and promote battlefields within its Scottish historic environment policy series. This will include a proposal to create a non-statutory Inventory of nationally important sites intended to encourage more effective protection for them through the land-use planning process. The policy paper and Inventory will be subject to public consultation in due course.

Housing

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the legislation applicable to park homes.

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider treating park homes as houses rather than caravans for the purpose of regulation.

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 fit for purpose in relation to park homes.

Stewart Maxwell: We have commissioned research to provide an accurate picture of the use of park homes as dwellings in Scotland as the basis for the development of policy in this area. The research has considered the extent to which any problems identified are addressed by the existing legislation, including that recently implemented by part 6 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 which introduced new protections for park home residents.

  The research has also sought to identify the number and location of such dwellings, and to explore in detail the reasons why people are living in park homes and the types of issues and problems experienced by residents in connection with their occupation and use of these homes.

  We expect to publish the research later this year.

Housing

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the development of park homes becomes subject to local authority planning regulations.

Stewart Stevenson: Planning controls may already apply to operations in relation to park homes, depending on the particular circumstances of a case.

  The planning system applies to operations which amount to "development" as defined in section 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. Subject to certain exceptions and clarifications, "development" means the carrying out of building, engineering, mining or other operations in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material change in the use of any buildings or other land. As well as certain exceptions from the definition of "development", some operations which are "development" benefit from a general grant of planning permission set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 which removes the need for planning permission.

  The 1992 Order grants planning permission for certain activities, in certain circumstances, associated with "caravans", the definition of which includes any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another.

  If there is any question about whether certain activities or structures require planning permission, these should be addressed to the planning authority for the area in the first instance, and would ultimately be a matter for the courts.

  We will consider whether any change to planning legislation is necessary in relation to park homes in the context of the current review of the 1992 Order and the specific review of issues affecting park homes. On the latter, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5213 on 26 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Housing

Christopher Harvie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many householders in Scotland are affected by subprime mortgage commitments and whether it regards this situation as satisfactory.

Stewart Maxwell: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) defines "subprime" mortgages as those "targeted at consumers with impaired or low credit ratings who may find it difficult to obtain finance from traditional sources".

  Data are available for those with impaired credit ratings but not for those with low credit ratings. In the year to June 2007, the FSA found that 6,953 mortgages arranged in Scotland were in cases where the main, second or other borrower had an impaired credit history. This represents 3.5% of the total number of mortgages (200,261) issued in Scotland over that period. However, the definitions used by the FSA have fairly high minimum threshold conditions. That is, they do not count arrears of a level that many lenders would consider as adverse credit history. 6,953 is therefore likely to be an underestimate.

  The Scottish Government would discourage borrowers from taking on unsustainable mortgage commitments.

Income

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the median gross (a) hourly and (b) weekly pay was for full-time employees in Aberdeenshire in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006, broken down by gender.

John Swinney: The preferred source for earnings estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

  (a) The median gross hourly earnings for full-time employees resident in Aberdeenshire are given in the table below.

  Median Gross Hourly Pay (£) for Full-Time Employee Jobs1 of People Resident2 in Aberdeenshire

  

 
2004
2005
2006


All
10.01
10.39
11.54


Male
10.14
10.56
12.27


Female
9.74
9.78
10.08



  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

  Notes:

  1. Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.

  2. Estimates have been supplied for employees who are resident in Aberdeenshire local authority area. Estimates for those who work in the area are also published on the National Statistics website.

  3. The estimates are based on a sample survey, and as such, are subject to sampling error.

  (b) The median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees resident in Aberdeenshire are given in the table below.

  Median Gross Weekly Pay (£) of Full-Time Employee Jobs1 of People Resident2 in Aberdeenshire

  

 
2004
2005
2006


All
417.9
446.0
468.1


Male
451.1
470.0
526.3


Female
365.1
379.8
386.5



  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

  Notes:

  1. Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.

  2. Estimates have been supplied for employees who are resident in Aberdeenshire local authority area. Estimates for those who work in the area are also published on the National Statistics website.

  3. The estimates are based on a sample survey, and as such, are subject to sampling error.

  4. The estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10p.

Legislation

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce primary legislation to establish its new skills agency and, if so, when it expects to do so.

Fiona Hyslop: It is not the intention of Scottish ministers in the first instance to introduce primary legislation to establish the new skills body. Ministers will consider whether primary legislation is required in the future.

Licensing of Taxis

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the recommendations of a report by the task group set up to review the licensing provisions contained in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, published in November 2004, have been implemented in relation to taxis and private hire cars.

Stewart Stevenson: The task group recommendation to set up a focus group has been implemented. Liaison with the focus group has assisted in the preparation of guidance to licensing authorities. This will address a range of issues relating to the licensing of taxis and private hire cars and will include several issues on which guidance was called for in the task group report. We expect to publish this guidance later this year.

  Most of the other recommendations, however, require primary legislation and this Government is considering how that might best be achieved.

Licensing of Taxis

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken following the consultation on licensing of taxi/private hire car booking offices.

Stewart Stevenson: The government has engaged further with stakeholder representatives and liaised with local authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland. It is currently considering how to proceed in the light of these discussions.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the external debt of each local authority has been in each of the last 10 years.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government did not collect information on the external debt of local authorities in that time period. However, the following tables show the total level of outstanding loans pool debt for each local authority in each of the last 10 years. Local authorities are required by legislation to operate a loans pool, and all monies borrowed by the local authority are paid into the loans pool, which makes advances to service accounts to fund capital expenditure. The level of debt recorded by the loans pool is the value that must be charged to services over a number of years. We would not expect the level of external debt to be significantly different to the loans pool value.

  Loans Pool Debt Outstanding by Local Authority, 1998-2007 (£000)

  

Authority
Loans Pool Debt Outstanding as at 31 March:


1998
1999
2000
2001
2002


Aberdeen City
380,704
380,857
382,058
380,815
379,159


Aberdeenshire
356,372
361,170
363,789
361,270
368,146


Angus
105,523
106,537
109,181
109,328
111,650


Argyll and Bute
220,564
223,665
223,136
224,431
226,592


Clackmannanshire
73,462
74,904
76,920
76,602
78,259


Dumfries and Galloway
279,892
281,445
280,257
278,469
280,959


Dundee City
276,245
277,916
281,447
283,689
290,348


East Ayrshire
183,883
188,701
185,568
186,402
189,955


East Dunbartonshire
128,313
126,767
121,668
122,226
125,948


East Lothian
143,854
146,045
143,656
140,044
142,126


East Renfrewshire
83,266
86,864
85,167
88,466
89,259


Edinburgh, City of
866,442
863,511
848,409
853,507
846,102


Eilean Siar
171,086
171,980
174,480
179,274
183,305


Falkirk
201,374
201,998
202,623
200,328
200,517


Fife
496,285
499,273
502,977
504,744
507,675


Glasgow City
2,141,604
2,157,715
2,121,364
2,108,039
2,126,118


Highland
542,040
544,226
544,948
545,841
549,997


Inverclyde
213,129
217,926
216,334
216,077
218,248


Midlothian
99,542
97,605
96,344
95,437
94,053


Moray
143,819
148,033
150,167
152,669
153,485


North Ayrshire
211,767
211,535
205,253
203,785
201,275


North Lanarkshire
506,873
488,278
462,004
445,438
434,710


Orkney Islands
17,372
18,560
18,797
21,313
25,107


Perth and Kinross
143,004
146,191
145,570
149,152
153,136


Renfrewshire
304,790
299,276
292,800
293,464
289,254


Scottish Borders
205,159
212,673
211,283
213,367
213,057


Shetland Islands
60,572
60,170
58,026
56,036
56,276


South Ayrshire
151,496
158,870
159,258
161,437
166,308


South Lanarkshire
502,816
496,497
474,265
462,457
452,957


Stirling
151,720
150,895
153,118
158,314
157,105


West Dunbartonshire
191,262
188,906
187,459
187,185
189,339


West Lothian
217,137
212,398
208,513
198,603
187,158


Total
9,771,367
9,801,387
9,686,839
9,658,209
9,687,583



  

Authority
Loans Pool Debt Outstanding as at 31 March:


2003
2004
2005
2006
2007


Aberdeen City
372,297
371,605
392,167
406,382
421,585


Aberdeenshire
368,544
366,130
365,908
365,691
375,710


Angus
113,157
120,146
124,655
131,498
159,835


Argyll and Bute
229,164
226,027
223,328
228,959
199,630


Clackmannanshire
78,437
78,793
82,107
87,607
97,453


Dumfries and Galloway
277,782
190,448
188,531
190,931
194,656


Dundee City
292,273
296,531
304,391
315,853
331,916


East Ayrshire
189,546
191,567
188,895
182,413
187,541


East Dunbartonshire
124,071
120,492
118,363
116,026
115,167


East Lothian
132,289
118,141
112,837
128,504
154,766


East Renfrewshire
96,267
100,924
104,375
108,901
108,427


Edinburgh, City of
846,079
842,067
816,074
842,049
900,577


Eilean Siar
183,146
188,892
185,106
189,381
149,726


Falkirk
197,897
190,462
196,289
196,898
204,652


Fife
515,868
507,349
503,215
502,279
535,912


Glasgow City
1,281,468
1,270,793
1,281,054
1,261,126
1,305,244


Highland
553,121
548,785
551,465
556,482
562,104


Inverclyde
221,090
225,574
224,211
220,924
220,366


Midlothian
91,712
87,567
84,443
85,724
91,687


Moray
156,037
157,652
161,187
155,865
157,495


North Ayrshire
211,726
206,657
193,288
201,081
207,230


North Lanarkshire
410,487
391,233
392,312
415,444
412,431


Orkney Islands
28,764
32,899
33,838
36,535
37,007


Perth and Kinross
151,849
153,697
159,296
158,217
162,237


Renfrewshire
282,689
275,286
274,658
277,628
285,389


Scottish Borders
151,456
154,971
161,022
162,102
165,811


Shetland Islands
54,334
53,069
51,728
49,522
49,142


South Ayrshire
170,284
171,168
172,965
175,281
176,118


South Lanarkshire
437,384
420,793
399,438
443,821
500,121


Stirling
157,408
154,394
153,652
155,269
162,204


West Dunbartonshire
187,878
184,764
189,309
195,040
198,584


West Lothian
188,399
175,789
189,824
224,360
246,571


Total
8,752,903
8,574,665
8,579,931
8,767,793
9,077,294

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total external debt is for each local authority.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5272 on 26 October 2007 and S3W-5344 on 26 October 2007. The Scottish Government did not historically collect information on the external debt of local authorities, and we do not have validated data to provide such figures. However, the following table shows the total level of outstanding loans pool debt. The level of debt recorded by the loans pool is the value that must be charged to services over a number of years. We would not expect the level of external debt to be significantly different to the loans pool value.

  Loans Pool Debt Outstanding as at 31 March 2007 (£000)

  

Authority
 


Aberdeen City
421,585


Aberdeenshire
375,710


Angus
159,835


Argyll and Bute
199,630


Clackmannanshire
97,453


Dumfries and Galloway
194,656


Dundee City
331,916


East Ayrshire
187,541


East Dunbartonshire
115,167


East Lothian
154,766


East Renfrewshire
108,427


Edinburgh, City of
900,577


Eilean Siar
149,726


Falkirk
204,652


Fife
535,912


Glasgow City
1,305,244


Highland
562,104


Inverclyde
220,366


Midlothian
91,687


Moray
157,495


North Ayrshire
207,230


North Lanarkshire
412,431


Orkney Islands
37,007


Perth and Kinross
162,237


Renfrewshire
285,389


Scottish Borders
165,811


Shetland Islands
49,142


South Ayrshire
176,118


South Lanarkshire
500,121


Stirling
162,204


West Dunbartonshire
198,584


West Lothian
246,571


Total
9,077,294



  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to each local authority is of servicing its external debt.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5272 on 26 October 2007, and S3W-5343 on 26 October 2007. The following table shows the latest available information on the costs to each local authority of servicing their outstanding loans pool debt. Local authorities are required by legislation to operate a loans pool, and all monies borrowed by the local authority are paid into the loans pool. All interest paid on external debt is paid from the loans pool and then charged to services. For completeness, the table includes the statutory charge for repayment of loans, and any finance leasing charges.

  Cost to Each Local Authority of Servicing its Loans Pool Debt in 2005-06 (£000)

  

Authority
Statutory Charge for Repayment of Loans*
Interest Charged to Services
Loans Fund Expenses
Total Loan Charges


Aberdeen City 
10,209
24,962
120
35,291


Aberdeenshire
14,105
22,163
146
36,414


Angus
3,938
7,849
103
11,890


Argyll and Bute
15,706
15,220
398
31,324


Clackmannanshire
2,756
6,211
71
9,038


Dumfries and Galloway
8,330
10,021
85
18,436


Dundee City 
15,321
18,992
276
34,589


East Ayrshire
6,574
12,095
191
18,860


East Dunbartonshire 
8,476
8,387
112
16,975


East Lothian 
4,829
6,205
127
11,161


East Renfrewshire 
6,362
7,077
137
13,576


Edinburgh, City of
42,474
56,052
630
99,156


Eilean Siar
11,644
13,867
98
25,609


Falkirk 
13,428
12,262
124
25,814


Fife 
19,225
30,803
523
50,551


Glasgow City 
46,948
81,714
0
128,662


Highland 
22,620
31,694
280
54,594


Inverclyde
10,973
13,663
156
24,792


Midlothian 
6,147
4,849
74
11,070


Moray
4,199
9,727
106
14,032


North Ayrshire
10,837
13,824
312
24,973


North Lanarkshire 
23,554
29,843
493
53,890


Orkney Islands 
2,265
1,596
25
3,886


Perth and Kinross
8,776
8,492
146
17,414


Renfrewshire
25,229
16,791
396
42,416


Scottish Borders
6,883
9,397
131
16,411


Shetland Islands 
3,205
2,438
65
5,708


South Ayrshire
4,601
10,792
161
15,554


South Lanarkshire 
21,222
32,005
480
53,707


Stirling 
8,487
9,809
132
18,428


West Dunbartonshire 
12,317
12,331
222
24,870


West Lothian 
7,779
11,153
327
19,259


Total
409,419
552,284
6,647
968,350



  Note: *The statutory charge excludes repayments out of the Capital Fund.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total permitted level of external borrowing is for each local authority.

John Swinney: The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 (section 35) places a duty on each local authority to determine the maximum level it can allocate to capital expenditure (and hence borrow). In doing so, they must have regard to the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities. This requires local authorities to take into consideration indicators in relation to affordability, prudence and sustainability. Each local authority, therefore, sets their own maximum borrowing level, and keeps this under review on an on-going basis.

Local Income Tax

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a local income tax to be operational in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area it expects to be eligible to pay a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost will be of collecting a local income tax in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated cost of collecting a local income tax in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area compares with the cost of collecting the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a projection of the level of any local income tax evasion in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area and, if so, what this projection is.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area for assessing individuals’ incomes for the purpose of collecting a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with large savings in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area will be subject to a local income tax on the income from those savings.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with unearned income in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area will be subject to a local income tax on this income.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be applied to individuals in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area in determining residency for local income tax purposes.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy in respect of a local income tax will result in an individual in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area with an income of £20,000 from interest on savings and income from share dividends paying no local taxes, while an individual with an income of £20,000 from a job would pay local taxes and, if so, whether such a policy would favour people with savings and shareholdings relative to working people.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of income to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar from a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated difference will be between funds currently collected under the council tax and those estimated to be collected under a local income tax in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Comhairle nan Eilean Siar will receive any additional government grants to make up any shortfall between the amount collected under a local income tax and current income from the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Comhairle nan Eilean Siar would contribute any local income tax collected in the Western Isles to any central pool for redistribution to other local authorities and, if so, under what circumstances.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be required to administer a local income tax in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a three pence local income tax in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area will yield sufficient income to maintain current service levels in the Western Isles.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households it estimates will be worse off in the Western Isles under its local income tax proposals.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners aged over 65 in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area will be required to pay the local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a local income tax to be operational in the Argyll and Bute Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Argyll and Bute Council area it expects to be eligible to pay a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost will be of collecting a local income tax in the Argyll and Bute Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated cost of collecting a local income tax in the Argyll and Bute Council area compares with the cost of collecting the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a projection of the level of any local income tax evasion in the Argyll and Bute Council area and, if so, what this projection is.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made in the Argyll and Bute Council area for assessing individuals’ incomes for the purpose of collecting a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with large savings in the Argyll and Bute Council area will be subject to a local income tax on the income from those savings.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with unearned income in the Argyll and Bute Council area will be subject to a local income tax on this income.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be applied to individuals in the Argyll and Bute Council area in determining residency for local income tax purposes.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy in respect of a local income tax will result in an individual in the Argyll and Bute Council area with an income of £20,000 from interest on savings and income from share dividends paying no local taxes, while an individual with an income of £20,000 from a job would pay local taxes and, if so, whether such a policy would favour people with savings and shareholdings relative to working people.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of income to Argyll and Bute Council from a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated difference will be between funds currently collected under the council tax and those estimated to be collected under a local income tax in the Argyll and Bute Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Argyll and Bute Council will receive any additional government grants to make up any shortfall between the amount collected under a local income tax and current income from the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Argyll and Bute Council will contribute any local income tax collected in its area to any central pool for redistribution to other local authorities and, if so, under what circumstances.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be required to administer a local income tax in the Argyll and Bute Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a three pence local income tax in the Argyll and Bute Council area will yield sufficient income to maintain current service levels.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households it estimates will be worse off in Argyll and Bute under its local income tax proposals.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners aged over 65 in the Argyll and Bute Council area will be required to pay the local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a local income tax to be operational in the Highland Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Highland Council area it expects to be eligible to pay a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated cost of collecting a local income tax in the Highland Council area compares with the cost of collecting the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a projection of the level of any local income tax evasion in the Highland Council area and, if so, what this projection is.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made in the Highland Council area for assessing individuals’ incomes for the purpose of collecting a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with large savings in the Highland Council area will be subject to a local income tax on the income from those savings.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with unearned income in the Highland Council area will be subject to a local income tax on this income.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be applied to individuals in the Highland Council area in determining residency for local income tax purposes.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy in respect of a local income tax will result in an individual in the Highland Council area with an income of £20,000 from interest on savings and income from share dividends paying no local taxes, while an individual with an income of £20,000 from a job in would pay local taxes and, if so, whether such a policy would favour people with savings and shareholdings relative to working people.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of income to Highland Council from a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated difference will be between funds currently collected under the council tax and those estimated to be collected under a local income tax in the Highland Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Highland Council will receive any additional government grants to make up any shortfall between the amount collected under a local income tax and current income from the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Highland Council will contribute any local income tax collected in its area to any central pool for redistribution to other local authorities and, if so, under what circumstances.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be required to administer a local income tax in the Highland Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a three pence local income tax in the Highland Council area will yield sufficient income to maintain current service levels.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households it estimates will be worse off in the Highland Council area under its local income tax proposals.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners aged over 65 in the Highland Council area will be required to pay the local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a local income tax to be operational in the Moray Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Moray Council area it expects to be eligible to pay a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost will be of collecting a local income tax in the Moray Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated cost of collecting a local income tax in the Moray Council area compares with collecting the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a projection of the level of any local income tax evasion in the Moray Council area and, if so, what this projection is.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made in the Moray Council area for assessing individuals’ incomes for the purpose of collecting a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with large savings in the Moray Council area will be subject to a local income tax on the income from those savings.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with unearned income in the Moray Council area will be subject to a local income tax on this income.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be applied to individuals in the Moray Council area in determining residency for local income tax purposes.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy in respect of a local income tax will result in an individual in the Moray Council area with an income of £20,000 from interest on savings and income from share dividends paying no local taxes, while an individual with an income of £20,000 from a job would pay local taxes and, if so, whether such a policy would favour people with savings and shareholdings relative to working people.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of income to Moray Council from a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated difference will be between funds currently collected under the council tax and those estimated to be collected under a local income tax in the Moray Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Moray Council will receive any additional government grants to make up any shortfall between the amount collected under a local income tax and current income from the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Moray Council will contribute any local income tax collected in its area to any central pool for redistribution to other local authorities and, if so, under what circumstances.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be required to administer a local income tax in the Moray Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a three pence local income tax in the Moray Council area will yield sufficient income to maintain current service levels.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households it estimates will be worse off in the Moray Council area under its local income tax proposals.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners aged over 65 in the Moray Council area will be required to pay the local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a local income tax to be operational in the Orkney Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Orkney Islands Council area it expects to be eligible to pay a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost will be of collecting a local income tax in the Orkney Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated cost of collecting a local income tax in the Orkney Islands Council area compares with the cost of collecting the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a projection of the level of any local income tax evasion in the Orkney Islands Council area and, if so, what this projection is.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made in the Orkney Islands Council area for assessing individuals’ incomes for the purpose of collecting a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with large savings in the Orkney Islands Council area will be subject to a local income tax on the income from those savings.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with unearned income in the Orkney Islands Council area will be subject to a local income tax on this income.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be applied to individuals in the Orkney Islands Council area in determining residency for local income tax purposes.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy in respect of a local income tax will result in an individual in the Orkney Islands Council area with an income of £20,000 from interest on savings and income from share dividends paying no local taxes, while an individual with an income of £20,000 from a job would pay local taxes and, if so, whether such a policy would favour people with savings and shareholdings relative to working people.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of income to Orkney Islands Council from a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated difference will be between funds currently collected under the council tax and those estimated to be collected under a local income tax in the Orkney Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Orkney Islands Council will receive any additional government grants to make up any shortfall between the amount collected under a local income tax and current income from the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Orkney Islands Council will contribute any local income tax collected in its area to any central pool for redistribution to other local authorities and, if so, under what circumstances.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be required to administer a local income tax in the Orkney Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a three pence local income tax in the Orkney Islands Council area will yield sufficient income to maintain current service levels.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households it estimates will be worse off in the Orkney Islands Council area under its local income tax proposals.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners aged over 65 in the Orkney Islands Council area will be required to pay the local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a local income tax to be operational in the Shetland Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Shetland Islands Council area it expects to be eligible to pay a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost will be of collecting a local income tax in the Shetland Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated cost of collecting a local income tax in the Shetland Islands Council area compares with the cost of collecting the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a projection of the level of any local income tax evasion in the Shetland Islands Council area and, if so, what this projection is.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made in the Shetland Islands Council area for assessing individuals’ incomes for the purposes of collecting a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with large savings in the Shetland Islands Council area will be subject to a local income tax on the income from those savings.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals with unearned income in the Shetland Islands Council area will be subject to a local income tax on this income.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be applied to individuals in the Shetland Islands Council area in determining residency for local income tax purposes.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy in respect of a local income tax will result in an individual in the Shetland Islands Council area with an income of £20,000 from interest on savings and income from share dividends paying no local taxes, while an individual with an income of £20,000 from a job would pay local taxes and, if so, whether such a policy would favour people with savings and shareholdings relative to working people.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of income to Shetland Islands Council from a local income tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated difference will be between funds currently collected under the council tax and those estimated to be collected under a local income tax in the Shetland Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Shetland Islands Council will receive any additional government grants to make up any shortfall between the amount collected under a local income tax and current income from the council tax.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Shetland Islands Council will contribute any local income tax collected in its area to any central pool for redistribution to other local authorities and, if so, under what circumstances.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be required to administer a local income tax in the Shetland Islands Council area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a three pence local income tax in the Shetland Islands Council area will yield sufficient income to maintain current service levels.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households it estimates will be worse off in the Shetland Islands Council area under its local income tax proposals.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners aged over 65 in the Shetland Islands Council area will be required to pay the local income tax.

John Swinney: We intend to launch a consultation later this year on our proposals for a fairer local tax, before we introduce the necessary legislation in the 2008-09 parliamentary year. While it is therefore too early to discuss detailed impacts on particular local authorities and their residents, we welcome views on this as part of the consultation exercise.

Ministerial Correspondence

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment will respond to my letters of 31 May and 27 July 2007 regarding the vessel, Apollo Grimsby.

Richard Lochhead: I replied to your letters on 15 October 2007. I very much regret the long wait you had for this response and any concern that this may have caused you or your constituent.

Planning

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the provisions of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 will be commenced.

Stewart Stevenson: The passage of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 was the first step in a modernisation process aimed at creating a more efficient, inclusive and sustainable planning system that is fully fit for purpose. Immediate priorities are now focussed on implementing the act and realising a change in culture among planning professionals and other stakeholders in the planning system.

  While some elements have already been commenced, for example on the National Planning Framework, Marine Fish Farming and Business Improvement Districts, the main elements on Development Planning and Development Management are likely to be commenced around the end of 2008. This is because secondary legislation is required, on which we are due to consult shortly.

  There is a table that can be accessed on the Scottish Government website which gives the list of what has commenced and the implementation timetable:

  Commencements:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/15130743/0.

  Implementation Timetable:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/19143600/0.

Planning

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the review group, chaired by an official of the Executive and involving all major aquaculture stakeholders, which is looking into the future of aquaculture planning controls and regulations and when the group is expected to report on the outcome of its work.

Stewart Stevenson: The remit of the review panel is to provide views on individual cases to assist Scottish Ministers in reaching a decision on whether or not to grant planning permission to a particular farm, either conditionally or unconditionally. There are around 900 existing farms in Scotland. Due to the number of farms involved, each farm is being assessed according to the expiry date of its existing development consent from the Crown Estate or where applicable works licence from Shetland or Orkney Islands Councils. A farm has generally been given a 15 year consent. It will therefore take a number of years to complete this work although we are considering whether the process could be completed in a shorter timescale.

Road Accidents

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign-registered vehicles have been involved in road traffic accidents in each year since 1999.

Stewart Stevenson: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the Police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the Stats 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured and which become known to the police. The returns do not cover damage only accidents or accidents of which the police are unaware because they were not reported by the public.

  The method of identifying foreign vehicles in the Stats 19 returns changed at the start of 2005. Up until the end of 2004, Police Forces were asked to identify foreign vehicles by means of special code in the "Vehicle Registration Mark" field. The following table shows the numbers identified using this old method.

  

Year
Foreign Vehicles identified in Stats 19 returns as being involved in injury accidents


1999
41


2000
33


2001
29


2002
30


2003
41


2004
37



  Following a review of the Stats 19 specification, with effect from January 2005, police forces have been asked to identify foreign vehicles by means of a new "Foreign Registered Vehicle" field. The following table shows the numbers identified using this new method.

  

Year
Foreign Vehicles identified in Stats 19 returns as being involved in injury accidents


2005
157


2006
138



  It is clear that the new method has resulted in the identification of more foreign vehicles in the Stats 19 returns.

Science

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take forward the results of the consultation on a science and innovation strategy for Scotland and, if so, how.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4458 on 1 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Science

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Science Advisory Committee (SSAC) is currently running on a temporary basis, reporting to the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA), following the decision to end the funding arrangement under the auspices of the Royal Society of Edinburgh as from December 2006. Since then, the future of the SSAC has been under review.

  I am pleased to announce that ministers have now decided that the CSA should continue to be supported by the SSAC, with revised reporting arrangements. The SSAC will continue to comprise a standing committee of experts drawn widely from the science and innovation base, in order to ensure that the Scottish Government can be provided with authoritative, independent advice across all scientific disciplines and issues. The SSAC will report directly to the CSA, who will chair the Committee in conjunction with a co-chair elected by committee members. The SSAC’s advice will be provided to ministers through the CSA and in conjunction with the co-chair where this is helpful. Although the SSAC will not be constituted as a formal advisory public body, the operation of the committee, including the recruitment process for new committee members, will follow the spirit of the Nolan principles. The committee membership will be refreshed over the next few months with new members being appointed by early 2008.

Science

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4458 by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2007, how it intends to ensure that the science and engineering departments of Scottish universities remain competitive with universities in England if the cap on tuition fees is lifted.

Fiona Hyslop: We believe that there is currently broad parity between funding for Scottish universities and for those elsewhere in the UK. Any review of the cap in England will of course be important to Scottish higher education institutions and the Scottish Government. We will take an active interest in the review due in 2009 and act to retain competitiveness across all subject disciplines.

Scottish Government Expenditure

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many litres of bottled water, including water from water coolers, were purchased by its office at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, in 2006 and at what cost.

John Swinney: The total provided was 123,884 litres of water at a cost of £34,201.90. This included both bottled water provided for restaurant and hospitality purposes and water for water coolers.

Terrorism

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what additional security measures have been put in place following the recent terrorist incident at Glasgow Airport.

Stewart Stevenson: We understand that BAA Glasgow is meeting the requirements set out by the Department for Transport (Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate – TRANSEC) which is the security regulator in the UK.

Terrorism

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what specific measures have been put in place to ensure the security of baggage following the recent terrorist incident at Glasgow Airport.

Stewart Stevenson: We understand that BAA Glasgow is meeting the requirements set out by the Department for Transport (Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate – TRANSEC) which is the security regulator in the UK.

Terrorism

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what specialist training has been given to airport and security staff to ensure a rapid and efficient response to any future terrorist incidents.

Stewart Stevenson: We understand that all Scottish airports are meeting the requirements set out by the Department for Transport (Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate – TRANSEC), which is the security regulator in the UK.

Tourism

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to realign community planning partnerships with the boundaries of the new enterprise regional organisations and VisitScotland.

John Swinney: The government believes community planning partnerships have the central role to play in joining up the design and delivery of services at local level.

  There are no plans at present to change the boundaries of community planning partnerships.

Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been commissioned on the use of road equivalent tariff for Scotland’s island communities.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants have been engaged to investigate a (a) pilot study and (b) longer term project into road equivalent tariff proposals; what expenditure has been made to date on this work, and what the anticipated costs are over the next four years.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5196 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have taken place with European Commission officials about state aid implications for road equivalent tariff and, of these, how many have been attended by ministers.

Stewart Stevenson: There have been no meetings with the European Commission to discuss the state aid implications of road equivalent tariff.

Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with ferry operators about the road equivalent tariff study.

Stewart Stevenson: To date there have been no discussions with ferry operators but the consultants working on the study of road equivalent tariff (RET) will, as part of their remit, speak to various ferry operators to seek their views on RET.

Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign-registered vehicles it estimates used roads in Scotland in each year since 1999.

Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is not available.

Transport

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms exist to allow regulation by licensing authorities of non-standard vehicles such as stretch limousines and decommissioned ambulances and fire engines that are available to the public for hire.

Stewart Stevenson: The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 gives local authorities powers to license the operation of private hire cars in their area. The decision as to the suitability of a specific vehicle for licensing as a private hire car is a matter for individual licensing authorities having regard to the type, size and design of vehicle and whether it is safe for that use.

Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been set aside by Transport Scotland to fund local voluntary purchase schemes.

Stewart Stevenson: Costs relating to land purchase whether by voluntary, advanced or compulsory purchase schemes employed by project promoters are included in the estimates of land costs submitted as part of the capital cost of the project, and it is this total cost that Transport Scotland agrees to fund. There is not a separately identified fund for local voluntary purchase schemes.

Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which bodies have submitted proposals to Transport Scotland for voluntary purchase schemes and what stage each such proposal has reached.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland are in receipt of one application for funding of a voluntary purchase scheme, submitted by the Waverley Railway Partnership. Transport Scotland has analysed the WRP’s proposal and provided appropriate feedback. Dialogue between Transport Scotland and the WRP is on-going to ensure a suitable conclusion to this matter.

Transport

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3727 by Stewart Stevenson on the 13 September 2007, whether it will list the ferry routes to be considered by the consultants undertaking the study into the benefits of applying a road equivalent tariff to the fares on ferry routes under the (a) first and (b) third phases of the study.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5199 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Correction

The reply to question S3W-5312 which was originally answered on 23 October 2007, has been corrected: see page 1344 or http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-07/wa1025.htm.